Let’s quickly recap – structural adhesives are used in high strength, permanent applications and able to withstand considerable magnitude and will not fail at the bonded joint. There are 3 main types Epoxies, Polyesters and Polyurethanes. Unsaturated polyesters are used in the stone industry and are fast curing and low cost.
Epoxy is a copolymer that is formed from two different chemicals - resin and hardener. When these are mixed together, the amine groups react with the epoxide groups to form a bond. This process is called "curing". A strict mix ratio is needed for full cure and cured property retention. If an epoxy is mixed with the incorrect ratio, it may fail. 
Epoxies were first introduced commercially in 1946. These high-strength adhesives have a wide range of industry use, such as construction, automotive, aerospace and more. Epoxy adhesives are used where high strength bonds are required.
Epoxies are versatile - as they bond well to many substrates and can be easily modified and developed to suit almost any application. They can be used as adhesives for wood, metal, glass, stone, and some plastics. They can be made flexible or rigid, transparent or colored, fast setting or slow setting.
Epoxies are high strength and have less shrinkage and more chemical resistance than unsaturated polyesters. Epoxies are the structural adhesive that is used primarily in the exterior stone building industry.
Benefits of Epoxies:
- High strength
- Excellent durability
- Extremely versatile
- Anchor Bolts
- Buildings – i.e. stone cladding or dimensional stone
- Boats construction
- Countertops
- Golf clubs
- Surfboards
So, do you use Epoxies in your company? Good or Bad - what are your thoughts? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments section, we'd love to hear from you! * * Stay tuned for the final part of our Structural Adhesives postings as we wrap up with Polyurethanes. * *
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